OFF THE FAIRWAY
The Value of Gardens on the Golf Course I
have certainly heard my fair share here as well. Many people think of opinions about gardens, in of gardens as something small, but terms of whether or not they belong would you call what’s happening at on the golf course aside from being Augusta National a garden? Perhaps around buildings and entrances. In not, due to the scale of it, and because my experience, the majority of the it also includes large mature trees. We membership love seeing gardens, and, must consider that all those trees and in fact, they wish there were more. I Azaleas are designed to be there just spend a great deal of time explaining like any other type of garden, however, that a bigger garden means more many would probably consider it to maintenance, which in return costs be a beautiful landscape instead. a course more money, but yet there is Let’s consider what other types of still a push to expand. functions that gardens can provide I would like to temporarily refrain on a golf course. Another purpose of from using the word “garden” and a garden could be to create privacy replace it with what it really is, a between a tee and a green or to create functional landscape. The truth is a a sound barrier from public roads. You golf course itself should be viewed can also create focal points to direct or as a functional landscape as well. An draw traffic as well, so that there is no architect or designer had to design confusion as to where the next hole is. the golf course with many purposes in Furthermore, we can use gardens to 10th tee, Muskoka Lakes G&CC mind, including aesthetics. The same help improve the public’s perception idea can be applied for any landscape that includes plant material. of our game and how it impacts the environment in a positive way. This brings up the question of what are some of the functions that a We can plant material strategically to promote pollinator health or “garden” can provide on a golf course? plant areas with locally indigenous tree, shrub and perennial species, One purpose of a garden is that it can be used to hide infrastructure, which can help when lobbying to keep pesticide use at the levels like pump houses, wells, washrooms, or maintenance facilities, and required to successfully maintain turf. When approaching a tee deck along with concealing infrastructure, gardens can be beautiful. I am or green site, gardens can be used to control walk on/walk off traffic including tree and shrub planting in what I am calling a “garden” to minimize damage due to compaction and wear. Gardens can also
Behind the 6th green, Muskoka Lakes G&CC
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